Multiple patterning lithography (MPL) is one lithography strategy that is used in emerging technology nodes (e.g., 16 nm, 22 nm, 32 nm, etc.). To perform MPL, an IC layout is decomposed according to an algorithm that assigns different colors (e.g., black and gray) to shapes separated by a space less than a printable threshold. The different colors correspond to different photomasks, such that features of a same color are formed on a same mask of a multiple patterning exposure. By separating IC layout data onto different masks, printing below a printable threshold is enabled since the features comprised within each separate mask do not violate the printable threshold.